Brilliance
by chinarai
Summary: Two brilliant minds shine brighter together. xv: Birthday Girl: "Hey, Sakura. Happy birthday. I got you something I hope you'll both like and find useful."
1. i: sleep

So here's the deal. My poor sorry ass is late to this party, but I'm joining it nonetheless. There's just a very low (imo anyway) quantity of shikasaku fanfic in this world and I've decided to give this fandom my two cents. I'm turning the internet upside down looking for fanfics and fanart. The last time I've done it was back when I started shipping TP Zelink, so yeah, it's been a very long while.

This is a collection of drabbles and oneshot of varying lenghts and themes and ratings so buckle up. Will be updated randomly. Eeennnnjoy!

* * *

 **i: sleep**

* * *

When she returns from a graveyard shift and kicks her shoes away by the front door, dragging her feet across de floor, hand on her face to stifle a yawn, Sakura wants nothing more than to just hop in bed with work clothes and all and sleep the day away. She drops her bag on the couch on her way to the hallway, struggles to take off her lab coat that needs washing and leaves it lying haphazardly on the ground in her wake.

Silently twisting the doorknob and pushing the door to the bedroom open, she closes it with a soft click and takes a moment to look at him lying in bed, face buried between two pillows as the rising sun casts light on his features. His brown hair sticks to odd directions and angles, his hand is fisted around the bedsheets that cover up to his lower back, gracing her with a vision of his bare torso and strong arms. Smiling, she pushes away from the door, fingers working on the fly of her pants and tugging at her shirt. She leaves her clothes draped over the back of a chair, and picks up a sweater that lies in a heap on top of her vanity.

It reaches past her mid-thighs, conceals her hands completely from sight, still smells like him, and she racks nimble fingers through her pale pink hair as she walks to the window, pulling the curtains closed. She notices that the muscles of his face relax, the line of stress between his eyebrows disappear and he sighs against the cotton of the white pillowcase. Sakura gets in bed, slips under the covers and brushes locks of hair away from his face, placing a kiss on his forehead before lowering herself down to the mattress.

Instinctively, his arm falls around her waist, pulls her closer, his palm is hot on her back and his nose nuzzles the crown of her head as her own presses against the column of his neck. He greets her sleepily, lazily, not fully awake, but aware of her presence only enough to acknowledge her, and together they fall asleep.

* * *

He comes home from a short mission at the crack of dawn, covered in grime, sweat and dried blood, very tempted to just fall in bed the way he is, but he would rather not mess her sheets and have to deal with a very enraged, very troublesome girlfriend later. Besides, it is that kind of night, and he would like very much to sleep on a bed with her than sleeping on the ground or couch, so he makes a bee-line to the bathroom, passing by the open door of the bedroom, and leaves the dirtied clothes in a pile on the corner of the tiled floor.

The shower he takes does not leave him sparkling clean, but it does get rid of all the dirt that cakes his skin and hair, and he watches the last of the brown water swirl down the drain as he dries himself with a soft towel. He goes, naked and all, to the bedroom and pulls open a drawer, taking out a pair of dark boxers and slipping them on, feeling the cool breeze brush across his exposed skin and play with the curtains of the open window.

Shikamaru turns to the bed. In nights like this when it is warm, his girlfriend sleeps in only a thin shirt and her panties, and he is glad to see that she is dressed in only that as he had predicted. The shirt has ridden up to her ribs, leaving her stomach uncovered for him to see, and he wastes no time to claim the space next to hers.

The scene tempts him to do more than just sleeping – literally – with her, but he knows she needs to be well rested for another shift in the hospital in a few hours. Still, it does not stop his hand from squeezing the side of her hips and travelling up her waist, where his fingers grasp a little more firmly as he dips his head down to kiss her nose. She sighs, eyelashes fluttering, and her arms come up to his neck, wrapping around it and pulling his face to her chest.

Her chin rests on top of his head and his arms wrap around her midsection, he breathes in the sweet scent of her body lotion and allows the sound of her steady breathing to lull him to sleep.

* * *

In hotter days, it is nearly impossible to sleep together. They kick away the thin sheets and turn on the fan, later to be replaced by a very much needed and welcomed A/C, and toss and turn until they managed to fall unconscious. Cuddling is never an option and if one tries, the other will be very vocal and physical about it, resorting to annoyed voices, glares and hands pushing away.

Summer is by far the worst season to sleep. It is restless and Shikamaru has woken up once or twice to find Sakura lying on top of his back, completely dead to the world, sweaty hairline touching his shoulder and tickling his skin, the heat of her body burning him alive. Sheets and pillows are left stained with sweat, and no matter how thin they are, they are still as much of a hindrance as one of her thicker winter comforters.

Still, when asleep, they find ways to stay in touch, even it is just keeping their fingers laced together. And when they awake, they take a shower, usually together to make up for the lack of contact the night before, which leads to a lot more activities than planned.

* * *

During winter, under heavy layers of wool and cotton, they snuggle together, trying to keep every inch of their bodies pressed against the other in an attempt to keep warm. His favorite position is having her back pressed to his chest. It gives him lots of space to touch and gives his lips the freedom to roam over the nape of her neck and her shoulder when her shirt slips down. It also protects his back from her cold fingers and occasionally her feet, which she loves to press against his spine when he is being particularly stubborn.

Sakura likes playing with the band around his finger, running her fingertips across the back of his hand, tugging his palm up to place a kiss on it when she awakes. She cranes her face towards him sleepily, eyes open to show only a sliver of her green irises, and smiles when he complies and brushes his lips across her own. She turns her body to him, throws a leg around his hips and kisses his chin, fingers getting lost in his hair, and he returns in kind, playing with her pink tresses, squeezing her waist, letting his hand wander to her stomach and keeping his palm on it for long moments.

She notices his pinched eyebrows and smiles knowingly. "They're still sleeping."

He hums, affectionately rubbing his hand over her growing belly, and allows his frown to fade away to nothingness.


	2. ii: have a drink

Hey all! Here's to hoping your last week was good; mine was chaotic and to celebrate the last of my tests at uni, I caught a cold. I also finally started watching atla because this is how things work here. Forever late, never with Starbucks.

Wow, that was bad.

Still, I have about, uh, six other prompts written and finished? About that. I have some other ideas as well that I'm writing down, but if you want a specific prompt for these two brilliant people, please do tell and I'll do my best to write it! Also, do tell me if you're in for some smut, because while I'm not the best at writing it, I enjoy it immensely, so yep.

Little notice that while this is meant to be a collection of disconnected drabbles and one-shots, some of these are indeed connected, but when it happens, I'll let you know!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **ii: have a drink**

* * *

Her dress was troublesome, distracting. Backless, black, clinging to her body like a second skin, only to flare out around her knees and drag across the floor in her wake. It shimmered under the light of the setting sun, the sunset casting colors on her face and hair and making her seem all the more alluring. Shikamaru wondered, in the back of his mind filled to the brim with images of her, how he was supposed to focus on the event of the evening with her parading about the area.

It was the Rokudaime's birthday. Kakashi particularly enjoyed big parties, but he was Hokage now and Naruto had _insisted_ , so there was no escaping. Luck favoring their former sensei's side, Sakura had managed to convince Naruto that only closest friends should be invited. Though the number of people on the list had decreased drastically, the level of fanciness that Naruto had planned for this party had not. It was a black tie event held at the rooftop of the Hokage's tower, something many would not expect to come from the loudmouthed blond's head. Nice music played and even nicer food was served, though, of course, there was one item that could not be excluded from the evening's menu.

"Ramen, of all things." He turned his head towards her as she came to a stop by his side, her manicured nails tapping lightly on the side of her flute filled with her bubbly drink of choice. "Only Naruto would pick ramen as the main dish for Kakashi-sensei's birthday."

"You should have known better that Hinata wouldn't be able to stop him."

Sakura gave him the slightest of shrugs accompanied by a sniff as reply and sipped her drink. "I was hoping the restaurant owner would follow my instructions and not listen to him." Her eyes landed on a streak of orange as it dashed from one side to the other to greet the Hyuuga heiress. "Look at him. He's the only one wearing a bright, glaring color. Where did he even find a button up shirt that looks like a text highlighter?"

Shikamaru chuckled, but other than that said nothing and tried to focus his attention elsewhere. It proved to be a really hard task to follow with her standing so close, her chest pushed up and seeming so enticing covered by the black fabric. Her fingers played with the pearls around her neck, the creamy skin exposed for him to see, her pink locks tied up intricately. He would, very gladly, tug her hair away from the pins and free it from this elegant, but very painful, looking up-do and have it fan across the sheets of his bed instead.

He cleared his throat and turned his head away. "You look like you could use a drink." She commented, tilting her glass in his direction in a silent offering.

His eyes flickered to her hand, then to her face, and finally to an invisible spot up ahead. "No, thank you."

She laughed. "Loosen up!" Her palm rested momentarily on his forearm and he stiffened at the contact. "ANBU guards are on duty here. You can enjoy the party, too, you know."

Shikamaru chose not to reply and watched from his peripheral vision as the same flute she offered him went up to her lips and touched them. Smudged lipstick was left on the rim and he swallowed at the sight. Perhaps he would need a drink or two or twenty to get through the night without wanting to drag her further into the growing shadows and away from the lights and let his hands busy themselves with the curves of her body.

He cleared his throat again. The glass was nearly shoved into his face and yet he refused to take a sip. She sighed exasperatedly and walked away to mingle with the rest of the guests, heels clicking under the long skirt of her dress. He saw her come up to Ino, dressed in a silky gown that could easily rival the color of her blue eyes, and Tenten, dressed in a cocktail burgundy dress. Truthfully, Shikamaru had expected Sakura to show up in a red dress of any shade. Her name was associated with the color, anyway, being quite clearly her favorite. The black dress, however, was not something he had expected, nor something he did not know he needed to see.

Sakura in black was all kinds of dangerous and sexy, a mix that was not so easy to handle, and quite obviously, he was not the only man that was having a hard time to keep his eyes away from her form.

Naruto, with his arms around a flushed Hinata, hovered over Sakura and was being especially loud whenever any male guest made to speak with the medic-nin. Even Kakashi's older friends, if they could truly be considered his friends, were taking turns in trying to approach her, only to fail shortly after they began. Naruto was clearly being overprotective, and Kakashi, standing on the sidelines near a Guy who had, for once, dropped the green spandex for a day, was looking quite satisfied with the blond's actions.

Well, Shikamaru mused to himself, they must be keeping her safe for when – if – the Uchiha returns from his journey of redemption.

The thought did not sit well on his stomach, but he would have to get used to it.

Not much time passed since she left him by himself, but soon enough she returned to his side, her flute refilled and her eyes sparkling. "Hope you've decided to have some fun now?"

She was standing before him this time, her back to the rest of the rooftop. He pocketed the unlit cigarette he had been planning on smoking and sighed at the interruption. "I'd just really rather be at home right now."

"Don't be silly." She lifted the glass, "Have a drink."

"Do you have to be so insistent?" He clicked his tongue against his teeth, slipping his hands into his pockets as she balanced the flute on the metal railing by their side.

Sakura rolled her eyes, loosely crossing her arms over her chest. "Well, you could use a drink."

"I could use a smoke."

"No," she said simply and for a brief moment he was quite sure she would start a lecture on the negative aspects of smoking.

But she never did.

Instead, she fisted her hands around the front of his grey shirt and pulled him down towards her, her lips meeting with his, soft as the petals of her namesake. They moved, slowly and tentatively at first, coaxing a reaction out of him, which she succeeded on doing the moment her tongue caressed his bottom lip. His own delved inside her mouth, tasting the tinge of alcohol that lingered, fingers digging into her sides with such strength they could leave marks. She never protested, only hummed appreciatively, coming closer, pressing herself flush to him.

Her smell, her taste would surely drive him crazy. When his palm wandered over her exposed lower back, she released his mouth with a hiss of pleasure, body trembling under his fingers, eyes clouded with desire. "Have a drink," she whispered throatily, voice laced with need, and he was glad to comply.


	3. iii: botany

Heelloo!

My house has been a mess for weeks now because my mom decided to change some things here and there, and now that the desk I had in my room is gone for a while, I really don't write as much as before. I do have a lot of ideas, tho, and I write them down so I won't forget. I also decided I'd rewatch Durarara! and I think I might just write an AU inspired on it. I mean, Celty manipulates shadows, that fits Shika perfectly. Still unsure about Sakura's role, because Shizuo is my fav, but Shinra _is_ a doctor so yeah.

Also, I rewatched Naruto: The Last two days ago and there were like fifteen seconds of scenes in which they both interacted I was wheezing with my chest contracting painfully. Freaking rare ships are going to be the death of me.

Anyways, enjoy!

* * *

 **iii: botany**

* * *

 _Highschool AU_

* * *

Shikamaru sighed, chin propped on his fist and eyes closed. He never enjoyed assignments. Anything that required too much effort was not something he particularly looked forward to, but there was no way of ignoring these things, especially when he was paired with someone else. The laboratory was occupied with teens murmuring to each other, the only clear exception being the duo situated ahead of him, bickering loudly and accomplishing nothing. With a frown, he flickered his gaze out the window, watching as clouds leisurely strolled overhead.

"Fascinating," his lab partner murmured to herself, fingers adjusting the lenses of the microscope as she studied the dissected hibiscus flower laid on top of the petri dish.

He resisted the urge to snort and kept his eyes focused on the sky. Of course, someone named after a flower would be very interested in them. Not only that, but she was a childhood friend of Ino, whose family owned flower shops for generations, who knew all the meanings, uses, and whatever other little details about flowers and plants. Ino, also his childhood friend, had ben partnered up with Sai, one of Sakura's friends and a new guy that joined their class that year, who was currently doodling the flower they had picked to study.

Something Shikamaru himself should be doing, yet he quite contentedly ignored the blank paper sheet and pencil before him.

Sakura brushed a lock of pale pink hair away from her face and scribbled some notes down on her notepad, occasionally chewing on the back of her pen. Back when they were younger, she had let her hair grow out, before spontaneously choosing to keep it short, above shoulder length, for practical purposes. Now that it was growing out again, it was always falling over her face and eyes, slipping from behind her ears and forcing her to brush it back and away.

And now, for the fifth time in the last thirty minutes, she blew a stubborn strand away with an annoyed breath and refocused her attention on the microscope.

It was the last class of that day and the teacher would dismiss them as soon as the bell rang, which would not take very long, and from experience, he knew he and his partner would stay there in the very same spot until they were done with their assignment. Though he did not like staying at school for longer than necessary, it would save him the trouble of having to sacrifice a few of his precious hours of relaxation sometime later to finish what they had started.

Besides, the teachers always, without fail, paired him and Sakura together because she had enough motivation to do the work for the both of them. Naruto said it was unfair to pair two geniuses and let the rest of their classmates suffer. Shikamaru, particularly, did not give a damn, but he was glad it was her and not someone else that would push him around until he did something.

He crossed his arms on the desktop and resisted the urge to lie his head down on them. "I heard your family knows a lot about plants, Shikamaru."

His disinterested gaze glided over to her, green eyes still looking into the lenses of the microscope. Their classmates began packing and leaving; Sakura gave a half-hearted, completely distracted wave as Ino and Hinata walked past their desk, and Shikamaru rolled his eyes at Ino's snickering. Chouji came up next and said goodbye through a mouth full of chips, and Naruto whirled around on his chair, slamming his hands down on the table and exclaiming loudly as his partner stiffly packed his stuff and stood from his chair.

Why the teachers paired the Uzumaki with the Uchiha it was beyond him. Clearly, their rivalry made it impossible to work together in peace.

One dirty glare from Sakura shut the blond up and he quickly scrambled away from their desk, hands up before his chest as if surrendering. "Sakura-chan! We're going to Ichiraku tonight for dinner." She nodded, already back in work mode. Naruto turned to him next. "You can come too, Shikamaru! You can invite your friends or whatever."

"I'll think about it." He replied simply and his classmate went on his way, leaving the two of them together as "they" worked. Shikamaru looked down at her, pencil in hand as he scratched random lines and circles on the paper he had been given. "Yeah, we know."

"Excuse me?" She blinked, face pulling back from the lenses to look at him. She was taken aback, that much he could see, and of course she would be, he very rarely gave in to small talk in class.

Quirking up an eyebrow, he drawled again. "My family knows a lot about plants, yes."

Her lips parted in realization, her face flushed as a sign that she had already forgotten what she said to him in the first place. She turned back to her notes as a way to hide her blush. "Sarutobi-san once had a student and now she's a medic. I met her the other day. She said your family had some textbooks that were really important."

"You talking about Tsunade?" Sakura only nodded and picked the petri dish in her hands. "I didn't know you wanted to be a medic."

She pierced him with the most incredulous stare one could muster. "Figures you'd be the only one in this class to not know this."

He clicked his tongue, dropped the pencil and let his chin fall onto his open palm. "Yeah, yeah. I'll talk to my dad and see if he lets you near those books."

"Really?" She jolted back, a sparkle unlike any other lightening up her eyes. "Thanks, Shika!" She enveloped him in a quick hug and went back to work with renewed motivation. He shifted restlessly for a moment, then finally calmed and settled.

They – she – seemed to be nearly done with the project. Returning the dissected flower to the white thin paper, Sakura asked him to tape the pieces to the sheet while she wrote the last of the notes down and they would be ready to go. Now that he did not mind doing, so he cut few pieces of tape and stuck each part under the name and a little description she had written for each. Their names were scribbled on the top left corner of the page and he observed her handwriting for a while until something caught his eye.

She was, once again, brushing back locks of hair. In an act that might as well be unlike him, Shikamaru stood to his feet and pulled her hair back from her face, prying his own locks free from the hair tie and using it to secure her tresses on the back of her head. Unfreezing, Sakura looked up at him, wide eyed and red in the face, and he regarded her with the most nonchalant look he could give at the moment. The sloppy ponytail made the top of her head look like a rat's nest, and baby hairs stuck in all directions by her hairline.

Eventually, he chuckled, and she elbowed his side with a threatening murmur. No matter, he thought as he brushed his own hair away from her face. Getting to see her all embarrassed and flustered was worth the bruise under his ribs.

Sakura clipped both pages together and slipped them inside a folder she carried with her all the time. Standing, she pulled at the hair tie and offered it back to him. He only looked at it and brushed her gesture away with a dismissive wave. "You can keep it. I have more at home."

She glanced down at it, and then slipped it around her wrist. "Thanks," was her whispered reply and he placed his palm on her lower back, pushing her towards the door.


	4. iv: pregnancy i

Hey! So the desk I had in my room still hasn't returned from war, I'm getting really pissed off, eh.

I reread this little beauty here about five times before, so I'm trusting myself and posting it without reviewing one last time. I guess there's not much to say today, so I'm leaving you to enjoy this!

See ya!

* * *

 **iv: pregnancy i  
**

* * *

Naruto, to the core, is still not that observant. He never noticed when his teammate's clothes became too tight and she had to swap them for looser shirts and dresses only three months into her pregnancy, not that she had told any of them about it anyway. Their former sensei and now Hokage, however, ever perceptive, noticed these things, so it was no wonder that he smiles knowingly under his mask when the blond makes the following statement:

"Has anyone else felt this foreign chakra around us these past few days or nah?"

Sakura's movements falter for just a brief second and the dark grey gaze of the Rokudaime does not miss it. "How so?"

The war hero scrunches up his face and taps his chopsticks on his chin. "I just feel it around all the time. It's weird."

Sai smiles a smile that is a lot less fake nowadays, but he does not seem aware of their teammate's little secret. "You're just being stupid as usual."

As the bickering ensues, Kakashi glances at the pink haired medic and notices how she is poking at her noodles. He had seen her prepare to take a bite before Naruto opened his mouth, and now it seems like her appetite has flown out the window. He places his elbow on the counter and stirs his own ramen, wishing that Yamato could be here sooner so she could break the news as soon as possible and let all the tension in her shoulders go. Sakura has a volatile temperament and now that she is pregnant, she has to take extra care to keep her emotions in check.

No wonder, he muses with a low hum, she started taking yoga and meditation classes a couple of weeks ago.

Yamato decides to show up just as Naruto is threatening to poke Sai's eyes out with his chopsticks and he silently drops on the last stool to the left, signaling the waitress over and ordering his usual. The only person to respond to his greeting is Kakashi, and though he is not surprised by the commotion Naruto and Sai are making, his dark eyes fall on the sullen figure of the only woman in their group. Exchanging glances, he nods and encourages the Hokage to take action, which he does, by simply placing his hand on her shoulder and nodding at her in understanding.

Round, startled eyes stare back at him for a few seconds before shrinking back to their usual shape and size, and a smile curls her lips. She does not seem surprised at the fact that he already knows, and if anything, she seems glad at the support. Yamato quirks an eyebrow and says nothing, actively ignoring the bowl of steaming food before him in favor of watching Sakura struggle to gather her wits.

"Naruto."

The sound of her voice is enough to shut him up. He turns to look at her with his lips tightly pressed together, eyes wide in fright, body taut and ready to flee at the slightest move she could make indicating an incoming punch, but instead he is greeted with averted eyes, shy expression, a blush on her cheeks and suddenly, _suddenly_ , he is reminded of Hinata back when–

"I'm pregnant."

Back when she told him they would have their first kid.

Frozen, he hardly notices as Kakashi voices aloud his congratulations, how Yamato gives her a tentative hug, still quite unused to expressing his feelings physically, and Sai grins, teeth and all, and comments that his wife is going to love to hear about it. Sakura then explains she is entering her second trimester and she is cut short by orange-clad arms around her, delicate yet strong, full of warmth as he whispers only for her to hear, then shouts it out so everyone else at Ichiraku can listen.

"I'm going to be an uncle!"

And then tears are streaming down her eyes and he is shoving napkins into her hands, even though he himself is wiping the drops away with his thumbs hurriedly, and Shikamaru rushes inside the restaurant, only to halt at the sight of his crying wife and the smiling faces of her teammates – sans Naruto, who looks worried out of his mind.

"Sorry," he clears his throat as he approaches the group and looks at the Rokudaime for clarification. "I take it she's already broken the news?"

Kakashi nods, "She did and Naruto's stoked." Her husband nods, places comforting hands on her shoulders and lets her rest her weight against him.

"I just don't understand," the blond starts, pulling his hands away from his teammate's face. "Why's the chakra so strong? Boruto's wasn't like that when Hinata was at this stage."

Sai pipes in from behind him, "Inojin's chakra isn't this strong either, and Ino's approaching the last trimester."

Sakura squeezes her husband's hands and nods imperceptibly, letting him explain it while she recovers from her crying. "Actually, Sakura's carrying twins."

Now that is a surprise Kakashi did not see coming. His eyes crinkle in happiness and Yamato is congratulating them, and Sai says Ino is going to be so _pissed_ because she wanted to be the first to have a baby, and now Sakura is going to have _two_ , and Shikamaru chuckles, letting his wife be pulled into the arms of her former sensei, and then Naruto is on his feet, holding him by the shoulders and screaming.

"I'm going to be an uncle again!"


	5. v: pregnancy ii

Ahem, so, I don't know what to say because I felt too lazy to update this, even though I was updating another story? Wtf right?

Anyways, my desk is back, my house is neat once again, I had an idea for another AU and _this_ one sounds very promising, yes. I'm still working on the dynamics and trying to adapt it, but the idea's good. Or so I hope lmao

 **Twins Timeline:** _sleep; pregnancy i; pregnancy ii_

See ya!

* * *

 **iv: pregnancy ii  
**

* * *

Small hands settle over her growing stomach, and it will grow even more in the months to come. Mirai stares at it with wonder in her red eyes, then slides them towards her mother sitting to the left of the medic nin. "It's so big!"

Kurenai smiles, laughing softly under her breath, and reaches to ruffle her daughter's already unruly dark hair. "So it is."

Sakura smiles as Mirai presses her palms all over her belly. Kurenai had been wanting to spend some time with Sakura now that her pregnancy is starting to show. They were never particularly close, not until Tsunade's apprentice began dating the strategist of her late husband's team, and thus Sakura paid her frequent visits, mostly accompanied by Shikamaru, and their bond began to grow. Of course, Kurenai could never ignore that she was childhood friends with Ino, so for that very same reason, the blonde is sitting across from her pink haired friend and sipping her tea as Hinata, her own student who had grown so much over the years, is smiling gently at the little girl.

Ino places her cup down and brushes her fingers through her long fringe. "You do realize that having twins is going to complicate the dynamics of Ino-Shika-Cho, right?"

"It's not like I chose to have twins, Ino-pig," Sakura replies simply, green eyes still watching Kurenai's daughter, "but please, do elaborate."

"Well," her friend starts, folding her arms and sniffing slightly, "One of your babies is going to be paired with Inojin and Chouchou. What about the other? Do you just want the four of us to have one more kid?"

The medic nin snorts, piercing her friend with a faux annoyed stare. "As if you'd complain about what needs to be done to have another baby, Ino." Kurenai cannot help but chuckle, and Hinata giggles quietly behind her palm, though her cheeks are colored prettily.

They resume chatting and Sakura carefully sips her tea whilst Mirai remains between her legs inspecting her swollen stomach. Hinata talks about how Naruto wishes he could spend more time with his months old son and that he tucks him in every night, and that he is the one to get out of bed during wee hours in the morning to deal with their crying baby. Her hands still rest on her own belly as if Boruto was still there inside her and she shyly tucks a lock of hair back behind her ear as she expresses how happy she is.

Ino is still hormonal a month after she gave birth to Inojin, so she latches her arms around Hinata's shoulders and weeps silently, murmuring things that cannot be comprehended as the Hyuuga pats her back comfortingly. Kurenai lets a smile grace her features as she watches the two of them, and Sakura is biting on her bottom lip to hold back her own tears. Some customers look their way, but none of them seem bothered by the sight. Rather, they think it is touching, even if Ino, a few weeks from now, will say that she made herself look so stupid by crying in front of an audience.

Hormones can be more of a burden than a blessing sometimes, honestly.

"Was I this big, mama?" The women shift their gaze to the child once more.

"Not as much, Mirai." Kurenai smiles lovingly at her daughter, who looks back at her questioningly.

"Why?"

It is Sakura who speaks, eyes shining as she experiences some of what it is like to be a mother and have a curious child asking her about things. "Because there are two babies inside me."

The girl looks clearly taken aback, eyes widening and lips parting. "Two?" Is her whispered question and she squints her eyes as if she can see through all the skin and muscle. "But babies are too big!"

They are saved before any of them can think of an answer. The bell above the door chimes to signal the entrance of a newcomer; Mirai's attention is diverted and she forgets about two babies inside one belly when she spots a spiky ponytail a couple of tables away. "Uncle Shika!"

Shikamaru turns to the source of the noise and readily bends down to catch her as she throws herself in his arms. She is giggling as he spins her around and settles her on the curve of his hip. "Hey, Mirai-chan. Where's your mother?" The girl points a finger at the four women sitting in one of the back corners of the teashop and he makes his way towards them, conversing with the little girl in his arm as she plays with his ponytail.

"Uncle Shika, unckle Shika!" She fists her hand around his shirt and gives it a few tugs to catch his attention before he can even kiss his wife in greeting. "Did you know that there are two babies in her tummy?"

He chuckles at her enthusiasm. "Yeah, I know. Cool, huh?"

"But aren't they too big?"

Shikamaru shrugs as he passes her back to her mother. "Sakura is using a jutsu to shrink them, Mirai-chan."

Her eyes sparkle. "Really?" Ino snorts in a poor attempt to hold back her laugh and Sakura is shaking her head with a smirk on her lips.

"Really, really." Finally, he pecks his wife's lips and laces his fingers through hers.

"Can I learn it, too, mama?"

"Oh, hell no." It is Shikamaru who replies, frowning his brow and slipping a hand inside his pocket. Kurenai cannot help but smile as she pulls Mirai closer to her body; Asuma would have said the same thing.


	6. vi: oh deer

I'm trying to make a little schedule for working on my fanfics and updating them, so new chapters will come on Sundays, biweekly. So yeah, you will get a chapter on Christmas as a gift and I made sure it's damn good.

p.s.: I suck at making puns, so I admit I looked up on google for the awful things that I dare call puns. Sorry

 **Twins Timeline:** _sleep; pregnancy i; pregnancy ii_

See ya!

* * *

 **vi: oh deer  
**

* * *

"Don't move."

Sakura stiffened and held her breath, hand outstretched as she reached for a herb just inches away. The reaction was automatic, the stillness, the lack of breathing, it all came naturally to a shinobi when they were told to remain in place. Shikamaru must have realized she was preparing to fight if necessary, so he snickered and she scowled at him, shifting her angry gaze in his direction but still remaining motionless.

The only thing that kept her from punching the living daylights out of him was the sight of a stag near the edge of the clearing. She had heard from Tsunade, and Tsunade only, that the Nara clan owned a portion of forest in the outskirts of Konoha and that in there she would find many medicinal plants. Her shishou also mentioned books concerning healing arts that were in the possession of said clan and that, if needed, she could arrange for her apprentice to read them.

About the forest, she had said it was forbidden to pass the gates without a member of the Nara clan as company or permission from any of them. Not that Sakura was the kind to trespass private propriety, but if Tsunade had bothered to mention that, then it could only mean that someone had attempted to do that in the past.

"Can I at least lower my hand?" She asked through gritted teeth and he nodded, coughing into his fist to mask a chuckle that threatened to spill from his lips.

So she did, and the stag that had taken a few steps forward, stiffened and took two steps back. She laughed, briefly, then shut her mouth and glanced tentatively in its direction. Her gaze swept over its mahogany fur and dark antlers, briefly settling on its glossed eyes before refocusing entirely on the herb that was just a palm away from her fingertips.

"Relax," he drawled and folded his arms beneath his head, resting a leg over his bent knee. "He's not going to attack you."

"Gee, thanks for clearing that up," Sakura muttered as she sat back down on her heels and looked at his body lying on the grass carelessly. "I was thinking you'd let it run over me a couple of times and would just stand and watch."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Just pick those herbs you need so we can go."

She quirked an eyebrow and resumed collecting some plants, carefully cutting their stem and placing them inside the little box she brought along. "It's not like you're doing any of the work, so quit complaining."

He stretched like a cat and turned his back to her, chin falling on his open palm and blades of grass grazing his bare elbows as he muttered 'troublesome' under his breath.

She gave him a push, successfully toppling him over on his stomach, and laughed openly at the glare he shot her way.

"Will you quit it?" He rolled onto his back, now far from her reach, and stared with disinterest at the – cloudless – sky above. "I'm trying to sleep."

"You can sleep at night like any normal person," she checked one of the items in her list, content that she had managed to find most of the herbs in one clearing alone. He growled, turning his head away. "Stop being such a cry baby," she stressed the next word by throwing a dry twig in his direction, " _deer_."

Shikamaru stiffened, eye slowly shifting in her direction. "Did you just–" was his murmured unfinished question before he propped himself up in his elbows and fixed her with a mean stare. "No. No, I'm not in the mood for puns."

Sakura looked heavenwards as if asking for patience whilst lowering her slip of paper and small wooden box to the earthy ground and turned to him. "What? I deer you to do anything about it."

"It's too much work."

"Well, then," she smirked, palms planted on the grass and entire body facing him, "deer with it."

Shikamaru would rather let it slide, but that smug grin on her face made his skin itch. Damn, why did he had to pick such a troublesome woman as girlfriend? He would never truly know peace with her around him and pushing his buttons all the time.

Quickly, he launched himself upon her, bringing her down to the ground and pinning her in place, his knees trapped each side of her hips and his hands held her wrists flush to the grass. She squealed when he moved, but now she was laughing, her cheeks light pink and her eyes shining. What the hell, she liked the result of his reaction more than getting a reaction from him. Still, he had to admit this position was kind of enjoyable, so he dipped his head and captured her mouth with his, gently pulling at her bottom lip with his teeth until they parted and allowed entrance to his tongue.

She was sweet. His hands gripped her waist and her arms circled around his neck to bring him closer, and he pressed his body to hers, feeling her heat seep through the fabric of their outfits and caress his skin. Sakura hummed in pleasure and let him part her legs so his hips could rest on top of hers, and the new contact made him hiss in pleasure. She squeezed his waist with her thighs just because she could and smiled a little devilishly at him.

"I'm a little fawn'd of you, Shikamaru."

He groaned, lips falling to her neck and pressing few kisses to the sensitive pulse in her throat. "You are un-bear-able."

A laugh escaped her and she tugged at his ponytail. "Now, now, if you'd like to have some fun, you better tell that buck to go away."

"I wouldn't mind doing it in front of an audience," he replied huskily against the hollow of her collarbones and let her tug his shirt off completely.


	7. vii: lazy (nsfw)

Here's your damn good gift! Happy holidays!

 **Twins Timeline:** _sleep; pregnancy i; pregnancy ii_

* * *

 **vii: lazy  
**

* * *

Sakura was used to hearing people say that, despite all his great skills as strategist and all his intelligence, Shikamaru was lazy. That, actually, was a fact, one she had seen numerous times throughout her life. The times she spotted him sleeping in class or had rushed by him napping the day away under the shade of a tree were too many to count in one hand or to remember. Ino often complained that he would do anything in his power to stay in a sitting or lying position for as long as possible.

Then came a time, however, when Temari visited once and she mentioned with a smirk on her face that he was anything but lazy in bed. Her blonde best friend once said that she was sure he would lie on his back and let the girl do all the work, but the Sand nin said otherwise. What were speculations against a real, living, breathing person that had gone to bed with him? They were nothing, and the girls had huddled closer together in the little tea shop booth as the older woman gossiped about the times spent together in between sheets.

Now, Sakura could see how wrong Temari had been.

Perhaps, it was because she was another person and Shikamaru guessed that she would like it sweet; most likely it was because this was her first time having sex, but regardless of these reasons, whatever memories she had of his ex telling them in vivid detail all he could do with his hands and tongue disappeared from her mind as she moaned into his mouth, her fingers laced in his loose hair. His hands gripped her hips and the skirt of her dress was bunched up just above them as he kissed her slowly and passionately, his tongue stroking her lips and her own tongue sensually.

They were in her bedroom, the door open so the light from the hallway could spill inside. Shikamaru sat cross-legged on the mattress with her on top of him, her feet hooked together behind his back, her core dangerously close to his erection. He released her mouth with a soft sigh, moving his lips to her jawline and shoulder next, his palms moving to her back and giving her ass a squeeze before moving up, up to pull the zipper on the back of her dress down. A hum rumbled in her throat as he pulled the fabric up to her head, his knuckles purposefully brushing against her sides, causing her to quiver and once the dress was thrown carelessly to the side, she pressed her body flush to his.

Her heat touched his and he groaned, both at the contact and the sight of her lacy, semitransparent underwear. Shikamaru dove in while her mouth was still parted, capturing one already perky nipple between his lips and giving it a suckle, smirking slightly when a strangled noise left her and her hips ground down instinctively on his. It was a pleasurable new sensation she could not describe, have him massaging and kissing and suckling her breasts as she pressed the back of her hand to her mouth in hopes it would mask the noises she was making. Once her bra was also cast aside and his mouth touched her flesh, Sakura grabbed and tugged at his hair, throwing her head back with a breathy moan.

Shikamaru would not last much longer if she kept moaning and grinding her hips on his, so he moved to a kneeling position, pulling his face away from her chest and guiding her trembling hands to the hem of his mesh shirt. She pulled it over his head, let her fingers wander and explore his chest and abdomen, tracing muscles and scars alike, planting her lips on his naked shoulder and biting on the flesh. It was a quick moment of exploration, and then he was guiding her to lie down on the bed, his hands already tugging at her panties and griping her thighs.

She stared up at the ceiling, hands on each side of her head, swallowing hard in excitement and anticipation. He placed kisses on her stomach, on her navel, her panty line, her thighs, her inner thighs, all the while his fingers never left her skin, stroking and touching whatever he could reach. She held her breath whenever his lips got too close to her core and she curled her toes desperately, wanting to tell him to do it for once, but not wanting to ruin the mood. Sooner than later, his mouth descended on her clit, simply touching it, and she jerked under his hands and mouth, her hands curling into tightly closed fists. His tongue leisurely lapped at her juices and she writhed beneath him, arching her back, bending her legs, sighing and moaning his name, and his hands held her hips in place.

When Sakura felt like she would explode, he pulled away, sitting back on his heels and looking down at her with dark eyes as his hands caressed and kneaded her flesh. She took a moment to recollect herself and her breathing, then rose from the mattress, leaning up to touch her mouth to his in a simple kiss, tasting herself in the process. His fingers curled around her thighs as her hands wandered about the expanse of his chest and her fingertips hesitantly traced the waistband of his pants. He waited, lips working against her cheek and jawline as his girlfriend fumbled with the zipper and touched him through the cotton of his boxers, and he breathed heavily in her ear when they made contact.

Shikamaru peeled himself away from her, letting his bare feet touch the floor and his own hands work to discard the last pieces of clothing. Seeing a naked man was not something new for her, still she bit her bottom lip and looked away as he undressed himself, and he remained unmoving until her eyes came to rest on him again, carefully trained on his shoulder. Her face was burning hot with embarrassment, and he chuckled quietly, leaning forward to grasp her hand and place it dangerously close to his navel.

Her eyes shot to his face and she gulped when he nodded, letting her palm glide down his skin until it came to rest on his warm erection. She heard him take a sharp intake of breath, and wrapped her fingers around the stiff member, giving it a few experimental pumps and watching closely for his reactions. His eyes were closed, but his eyebrow twitched when she gave it a squeeze, his teeth ground together when she picked up her speed and, lastly, his hands closed into fists and his breathing grew more labored when her lips brushed the head for just a second.

She was on her back in the next moment, the sound of plastic being ripped open reaching her ears before he was found pressing her down onto the bed and his tip touching her wet folds. Sakura parted her legs wider and breathed in deeply, holding his gaze as he slowly, but surely, pushed into her entrance. It stung and her eyes were burning with unshed tears, but she bravely held them back and decided not to use her healing ninjutsu, instead focusing on the gentle circles his thumb rubbed on her skin and on the kisses he placed all over her face. When he could no longer push any further, Shikamaru stopped and waited, panting on the crook of her neck and whispering sweet things that only she could hear. Her arms raised to wrap around his shoulders, her nails lightly scratching his back, and she kissed his temple as a sign that he could keep going.

She did not know when, but the pain faded into pleasure, and the steady rocking of his hips was absolutely mind numbing. Her fingers found purchase on his shoulders and she tried to kiss every inch of skin she could reach, but in the end, Sakura could only press her cheek to him and gasp at the sensations swirling inside her. Shikamaru had one arm supporting his weight, fingers lost in her hair, and his other hand slipped beneath her body to change the angle of her hips, making her moan as she threw her head back. It took her a few tries, but Sakura managed to match his pace and rose her hips up to meet his, and that alone made him quicken his thrusts.

Her fingers entwine with his and he presses the back of her hand into the mattress, her pink locks tangling in the gaps of their fingers, and he kisses her, explores her mouth with his tongue only to have her pull away with a moan. Her breathing is short and heavy, growing more and more agitated as she nears her peak, and Shikamaru finds her gaze, holds it steadily, watches as her eyebrows pinch and her lips part, a long, drawn-out sound leaving her as she shakes beneath him, around him. It did not take him much longer to join her in oblivion; the sight of her was deeply arousing and she felt extremely good, so with a few quick, deep and hard thrusts, Shikamaru emptied himself, burying his face in her neck and enjoying the feel of her nails scratching his scalp.

Detangling himself from her, he landed on the mattress beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, feeling her curl up beside him and sigh into his skin. He played with her hair and kisses her forehead, feeling too lazy to get up and clean himself.


	8. viii: wait

This is purely venting. This describes what has been happening in my life since mid December, though I confess I still haven't gotten to the end that I wrote, which, btw, is what I wish could happen if things come to that.

Lately, all I can do is wait.

 **Twins Timeline:** _sleep; pregnancy i; pregnancy ii_

* * *

 **viii: wait  
**

* * *

Shikamaru could be hard to read at times. Sakura knew that, she knew it so well, because after Sasuke deserted them and Naruto left to train with one of the Legendary Sannin, Ino started dragging her around with her team so she would not feel alone or abandoned. It worked, and in the years that followed the blonde's return, she had gotten close to the lazy genius, of all people. They were often seen working together in one of Tsunade's many projects, seen talking over a cup of tea and joking around when the group met up for a night out.

He had an air of nonchalance around him, he went on dates with a couple of girls, but it never lasted for more than one night, because he claimed they did not fully catch his attention. He was too lazy to seriously date anyone, Ino would say and he would agree, because sometimes he would be too tired to go out with them and, all in all, it was far too troublesome.

So one can only imagine how confused Sakura felt when he kissed her in one of the times they went out by themselves to simply hang out after the war was over. It felt awkward at first, incredibly so. Ino had always teased Sakura, saying the two of them should date, but both girls never expected it to ever get to that point, because, well, it was Shikamaru they were talking about. However, it was the same Shikamaru with all his problems and laziness that leaned over to her and watched as her eyes went wide, chuckled as he kissed her, saying it was odd but felt good.

They agreed to keep quiet, and they would take it slow. With the many things that needed to be done to rebuild the village and strengthen alliances, they rarely saw each other. He went away on diplomatic meetings, and she stayed in Konoha to work on the hospital and lend a hand to her former teacher that was now Hokage. In the few times they were together, they would only ever kiss and touch when no one was around to see them, and Sakura was content with things as they were, even if she would often catch herself wondering if he still wanted her even with all the distance between them.

After about a month since it began, he returned from his trip to Sunagakure and the group decided to meet for dinner and drinks. Living twenty minutes away from each other had its perks, which meant he would walk her home and she would have her chance to confirm if Shikamaru was interested in her still. They stopped outside her apartment building and stared at each other in silence.

Sakura asked after a while. "Should I do something about this or can I go home?" When confusion showed on his face, she leaned in closer and whispered her question, hoping he would catch her drift.

Shikamaru took in a deep breath and averted his eyes. "About that..." Sakura straightened her back, schooling her face to remain calm as he continued. "Baki told me that Gaara is talking with his council to see if I can stay and work with their strategists for a while." She said nothing as he looked down at his hands and then to the wall behind her. "And while I really like what's going on between us, I guess I still feel weird because I'm used to seeing you only as a friend." He paused and tugged at his ponytail. "I'm confused because of his proposal. I'm sorry."

She swallowed. "It's okay." She fiddled with her fingers, looking at anywhere but him. "I'm not saying this because I'm involved, but you'll get used to it."

"I know." He licked his lips, rolling his shoulders. "Can you give me some time to think this through?"

"Yeah, sure." No coherent thought was running through her head right now. "I can't force you to do something you don't want to."

"I hope you won't get upset at me." When their eyes met and she gave him a tight smile, he added. " _Too_ upset, at least."

Sakura let out a huff of laughter. "You know how I am, and I know how you are." She sighed and clasped her hands behind her back. "I won't stop talking to you, if that's what you want."

He smiled. "Yeah, I'd like that."

They hugged before he left, and Sakura went up sets of stairs in silence, only allowing the weight of it all to fall on her once the door of her apartment was closed. It was like losing Sasuke and Naruto all over again, only this time, she did not know who to turn to. He had completed her in a way Ino could not, and while they were still the best of friends, the blonde was starting to, somehow, date Sai. Actually, it seemed like everyone was starting to see someone else.

Despite her best judgement, she reached out to Ino on the following morning, making her promise not to tell anyone this before she collapsed before her childhood friend. As a sad coincidence of destiny, that was her day off, and she spent it wallowing in bed, crying over another friend that would most likely leave her. Nothing was certain still, but fate hardly worked in her favor, so she knew yet another person would be snatched away from her in a few days.

Konoha 11 met again the following night, two days after they had spoken. Ino had kept her word and did not mention it to anyone, though Sakura knew it was eating at her insides and she wanted to confront Shikamaru about it. Sakura would never ask him to stay and put her, a friend and an uncertain significant other, before his career, as much as she liked what they used to have. They kept their appearances and he walked her home again that night, chatting amicably until they stopped before the closed gates once again.

"You're leaving in three days, right?" He nodded in reply. "Will you come back if they really take you in?"

"Yeah, I'll need to come and get some other things."

She smiled sadly. "I'm more upset that you might leave than at your confusion about us." He returned her rueful smile, and she played with the strap of her purse as she spoke. "In the end, I'll do what you tell me to do."

"What do you mean?"

"If you go or if you stay," she started, peering up at him through her lashes. "If you ask me to wait for you or to let it go, I'll do it. I just... Don't want you out of my life."

"You're one of my best friends," he said with certainty, "I won't forget you. We'll keep in touch."

They saw each other once again on the next day by coincidence, and then days passed. He left for Suna and she stayed, feeling bad for wanting him to stay, for being so selfish. Ino did what she could to cheer her up, but sometimes Sakura felt too exhausted and drained to truly enjoy her friend's plans.

Shikamaru returned a week later late at night. He would move to Suna for an undetermined period of time, and would leave Konoha first thing in the morning. Sakura woke up at an ungodly hour with Ino banging on her door, on the brink of screaming at her that she did not have much time left. She put on a change of yesterday's clothes, uncaring if there was a stain on teriyaki sauce on her shorts, and raced to the gates of the village, arriving just in time to see Kakashi wave him off.

He spotted her, though, catching her eyes with his own tired ones from over the Hokage's shoulder. Kakashi stepped back and greeted his former student, amused that she did not seem to acknowledge he was there, and watched as she went up to the genius with hesitant strides.

Silence reigned until the genius spoke. "Will you wait for me, Sakura?"


	9. ix: Triforce

If you're interested, I never really got an answer. Still, I wait, for him or someone else. That's all I ever do, right?

Anyways, here's an idea I had a while ago that just hit me out of the blue. I found it absolutely fitting regarding most of Team 7, and I had to squeeze Shika in there somehow, but I think I'm doing good.

As good as someone that doesn't know how these things work in Japan, though.

 **Twins Timeline:** _sleep; pregnancy i; pregnancy ii_

 **LOZ AU:** _Triforce_

* * *

 **ix: Triforce  
**

* * *

Vibrant green eyes snapped open, shattering her reverie as the sound of crunching leaves and twigs reached her ears above the sound the little waterfall in her private gardens. Gingerly lacing her fingers and laying them on top of her folded legs, she serenely watched as flowers and petals alike floated down to the large pool of water before her, gliding along its calm surface before disappearing from sight.

The princess half turned her head to the side to watch as her most trusted samurai, the most intelligent tactician and general of her imperial army, slowly lowered himself down to one knee and bowed his head to her. A faint hum from her was all the answer he needed to stand to his full height and approach her form, her eyes still sweeping over the bushes and trees on the other side of the lake, and he mimicked her position, bent his knees and folded his legs beneath him, setting his palms on his thighs and slowly exhaling out of his nose.

They said nothing for a long while. The wind caressed their faces and played with the canopy above, scattered more colorful, silky petals in the air, drifting them away until they eventually met with earth or water. A few birds sang nearby, a tune that echoed in the still air that lingered between royalty and servant, standing too close to be formal, yet too far apart.

"I had a dream."

The samurai turned his head to face his superior and was not at all surprised to see her frowning, jade orbs glazed over as they peered into something far, far away.

"I saw a man from a faraway province, with hair the color of the sun and eyes as blue as the sky itself." Her nails lightly dragged across the fabric of her royal garbs; a stray lock of hair fell from its confines to frame a side of her face. "And there was another man, with dark midnight hair and eyes of the same shade that bled red."

He said nothing, only studied the way the pale pink strand swept along the base of her throat, and had to fist his hand in order to fight the urge to tuck it behind her ear. Being from the family that served the emperors and empresses of the kingdom of Konoha, he had heard tales of a legendary relic that could grant wishes to anyone that had it in their possession. He remembered, through the hazy eyes of the two-year-old infant he had once been, that when the land was to be plunged in chaos, three people would be born to bring balance back to the land.

Although somewhere along the way, one of them got corrupted by their own piece of the relic, letting its power consume them in such a way that they would be the one to wreak havoc across the world. So it was left in the hand of the other two, one so brave and the other oh so wise, to stop the one that had hunger for unlimited power and control over the inhabitants of the kingdom and lands beyond it.

Shikamaru blinked his eyes as she brushed the lock of hair away from her face and concealed her irises behind pale eyelids. She was born on the same year he would turn three and, being the next in line to take after his father's duty as protector of the Royal Family, he was warned of the fate that would befall on the princess with unnaturally pink hair and rare green eyes. His sense of duty was greater than his most personal desires and temptations to step back and let someone else keep watch over one of the three legendary holders of the Triforce, so he squared his shoulders, dressed in his armor every day at dawn and kept a close eye on the princess and on the borders of Konoha.

If her exotic looks were not a dead giveaway that Haruno Sakura was one of the chosen by the gods, the faint glow that emanated from her right hand was also a clear sign.

Her dreams and visions were becoming clearer with each day that passed, indicating that the inevitable war was approaching. Every day he would find her in this very place, quiet as a mouse with a distant look in her eyes, and he would kneel by her side and wait until she told him what she saw. It could be dark storm clouds that rolled in the sky, it could be the howling wind that roared in her ears; sometimes she would only remember sensations, like the shivering of her body and a liquid that was warm and trailed down her bare arms.

He feared for her safety, because when the war reached its boiling point, she would be alone with the other chosen people, away from his sight and away from him.

"I trust the holder of the Triforce of Courage will keep you safe."

She turned her head, gaze casting over his features, and the small smile on her lips did not quite reach her eyes. "He has a kingdom to save," Sakura started, and his fingers curled inwards, nails biting into the skin of his palm painfully. "He cannot pick me over my people."

He held her stare, emotions so controlled in the jade color of her eyes while his were burning under pinched eyebrows. His insides were rioting, heart beating at a horse's pace, blood boiling in every vein and artery in his body. His stomach tightened, and he spoke through the knot in his throat, all rough voice and clipped tone. "Then I'll have to make sure you're safe."

Her gaze softened and for a moment, he could see in her sparkling eyes the emotions caged so carefully inside. She feared more for her people's lives than for her own, she would gladly sacrifice herself if it meant they would be left unscathed. Delicately, her fingertips touched the back of his hands, immediately coaxing his muscles to relax. A heavy breath left his parted lips and the samurai turned his head away, unable to look her in the eye for a moment longer.

Of all people, he had to fall for the princess herself.

However, everyone knew the princess and the hero of her people always ended up together.


	10. x: pregnancy iii

I actually thought today I'd post my favorite chapter so far from this sequence, but then I realized I skipped this one.

As usual, do send requests and prompts if you have some!

 **Twins Timeline:** _sleep; pregnancy i; pregnancy ii;_ pregnancy iii

 **LOZ AU:** Triforce

* * *

 **x: Pregnancy iii  
**

* * *

Sakura sits in bed as patiently as she can, smoothing her palms over her round stomach and occasionally glancing at the red numbers of the clock on her husband's bedside table. She does not know where he will find oyster sauce, rice cakes and chocolate ice cream at three twenty-two in the morning, but she has a bad case of cravings and, well, she _is_ pregnant. It gives her the right to boss him around a little more than usual.

"You don't want them to look like rice cakes smothered in oyster sauce," she told him when he rolled over and simply told her to go back to sleep. That was nonsense, of course, no baby would ever look like the food the mother was craving, but she said it in such undignified way that it left him no choice but to stand, change out of his pajamas and hunt for her desired food – not without stressing how troublesome she is, at least four times before finally exiting the room.

She smiles down at her babies, reassuring them that their father is going to return soon, and looks out the closed window in a particularly chilly night. She feels protected under many layers of beddings, and even more so when Shikamaru is holding her so tightly in their sleep. One of the baby gives a kick, as if sensing the direction her thoughts were leading her to, and she wonders for a moment which one of them did that.

Keys are jiggling outside and then the door is pushed open. "Troublesome woman," her husband says loud enough for her to hear, on purpose, and after seconds of shuffling, he steps inside the bedroom with a plastic bag dangling from the crook of his elbow.

Clasping her hands together, she grins brightly and innocently at him, causing him to scoff at first, but he gives her a lopsided smile later as he passes her the goods he has just fetched. She eyes the bottle of oyster sauce and quirks an eyebrow once she realizes there is only half of it left.

"I got it from Chouji. All of it, actually." He gives her a nonchalant shrug before taking off his sweater, and Sakura feels a pang of regret for dragging someone else so close to her to help him satisfy her craving. Shikamaru senses the shift in her mood and quickly strides over, planting a full, however brief, kiss on her mouth. "Don't worry, he was awake."

Sakura hums under her breath as she tentatively opens the container of chocolate ice cream and uses a rice cake to scoop some of it. "I find it hard to believe."

"Don't even start," he says with an over exasperated sigh, and her gaze swivels up to his defined ass when he bends his knees to untangle his pants from around his ankles. "Just eat this monstrosity you like to call food."

Shikamaru returns to bed and instead of sleeping, he stays awake with her, running his fingers through her rose hair whilst she takes her sweet time to eat, savoring each bite as if it were the finest of dishes. He entertains the idea of taking her out to a nice restaurant, ideally the fanciest one in Konoha if his finances agree to it, once her pregnancy is over. He should have done it sooner, more than just once when he proposed to her back then, but Sakura did not care much for these big displays, though she did enjoy rubbing it in Ino's face just for old time's sake.

Pressing his lips to her temple and letting his chin rest on her shoulder, Shikamaru glances down at her stomach and smiles fondly. He places a hand over it, swears he feels the babies moving underneath as if they know he is there with them, traces patterns over her cotton covered skin as his eyes close in bliss. Soon the time will come, soon they will be born and everything will change once more. Sakura offers him a scoop of ice cream from a silver spoon and he only accepts because it is not served with rice or sauce.

A beat of silence passes. She is licking her lips when he presses his mouth to the curve of her neck and says, "Sakura."

"Hmm?"

"Have you thought of names yet?"

She returns the empty plastic bottle and container to the bag and lowers it down to the floor. "I have, but I don't think they're fitting."

"And why's that?"

"Well," she makes to lie down and he allows her to, though he remains close, fingers massaging her scalp as his other hand remains on her swollen belly. "There's the formation. It's not easy to think of names that start with Shika." He contemplates her words with lines creasing his forehead, and just then, she chooses to turn around in his embrace, eyebrows pinching as she spots his frown. "What's wrong, darling?"

He shakes his head slightly and clears his throat, "It's nothing." Pause, then he adds when her eyes shoot him a menacing glare. "Really."

Sakura touches her fingertips to his cheek. "Talk to me."

"I just–" His voice fails, he tries again but it just will not work. He tries to control his breathing, tries to swallow the knot that found its way to his throat, but his vocal chords just will not cooperate.

She smiles, a sad little smile of understanding and no pity at all, and pecks whatever spot of skin she can reach, smiling against his flesh and placing her hand over his own, feeling one of the babies kick out once again. "I may have an idea of what you're thinking," she murmurs, efficiently bringing his emotional stare to her face, "and I think it's wonderful."


	11. xi: birth

This is the moment you were all waiting for. I'd like to thank my friend for helping me name the babies. Such a clever idea, but I suppose that's expected from a girl named Nara. I kid you not, that's her actual name.

 **Twins Timeline:** _sleep; pregnancy i; pregnancy ii; pregnancy iii; birth_

 **LOZ AU:** Triforce

* * *

 **xi: Birth  
**

* * *

"Naruto, holy shit!"

The Hokage-in-training jumps on his seat, wide blue eyes shooting towards the door as it slams against the wall and the younger ninja lowers his foot to the ground after literally kicking it open. "Konohamaru, what the _fuck_?" Naruto frowns at his longtime friend and waves a hand at the person sitting across from him. "Gaara's here, watch your fucking mouth!"

The Kazekage lifts a brow, the lack of an actual eyebrow making it seem imperceptible, and to their side, Shikamaru crouches down to pick up the files he had dropped. "You don't understand! I'm freaking out!"

"Do you always barge into other people's offices like that or what?" Naruto huffs indignantly and throws himself back on his chair as he crosses his arms over his chest.

Konohamaru shoots a glance in the direction of the one man in the corner, still swooping up documents, eyes urgent. "But it's impor–"

"Is it really?" The blond asks rhetorically. "The last time you waltzed in like this, it was just an excuse to–"

"Naruto." Gaara cuts in, noticing the way the jounin keeps looking Shikamaru's way. "Let him talk."

Breathing in deeply, Naruto complies, waving at the younger man with his restored hand, and Konohamaru drops the bomb before he can be stopped once again. "Sakura's in labor!"

The room grows silent and a stack of paper falls from Nara's hand. Several seconds pass in which each one sports a look of pure astonishment and bewilderment on their faces, until Naruto stands up abruptly and knocks his chair back, successfully snapping everyone out of their reverie. " _Holy_ _shit_!"

* * *

Tsunade returned from her trip when Sakura was nearing the end of her eighth month of pregnancy. Of course, her mentor would be the one to deliver the babies, and at the time they heard about it, it seemed like a good idea. Who better than the Sannin herself to bring the children of her own apprentice to this world?

Now, however, they would much rather have just a regular medic do it.

Naruto paces around the short hallway, cursing Tsunade to hell and back for not letting them – for not letting even Shikamaru – inside the room after the contractions became more frequent. Gaara does not remember ever seeing the strategist as nervous as he is right now, kicking his legs in place and wringing his hands between his knees, sitting hunched in a thinly padded bench outside the hospital room.

The Kazekage wonders if it would be best to drag him away until it is all over. It feels like they have been sitting there for hours, and every time they hear Sakura make any particular loud noise, both of them seem ready to kick the door down and force their way inside. Thinking of it now, it is a surprise that Tsunade did not ask some ANBU – or even Kakashi, really – to keep watch outside the door and stop any attempt these two made. He cannot help but feel sympathetic for Shikamaru, though. It is his wife in there, giving birth to their first kids. It is an experience of a lifetime, and even if she gets pregnant again in the future, it will never replace this moment he is currently missing.

Sakura cries out, her dying voice giving way to the first shrill cry. Naruto bumps his fist in the air and grabs Gaara by the shoulder, shaking him in excitement, and Shikamaru runs his hands down his face, sighing in relief. His legs never cease their moving, though, and they wait for the next cry to come. Tsunade shouts orders they do not quite understand, but Sakura's enraged obscenity that follows is loud and clear in his hears. Despite himself, her husband smiles and presses his closed fists to his mouth in a sign of anxiety.

The second cry comes few minutes later and soon it all goes quiet. Shikamaru glances at the wrist watch that he, for some odd reason, decided to wear that day. It is just two minutes past midnight. The twins are, essentially, born on different days and he cannot help but chuckle.

The door opens and Naruto bolts for it, but Tsunade quickly intercepts him as the nurses scurry away from the room. "I ask Konohamaru to summon Shikamaru only, and he brings me the whole package." She smiles nonetheless, and cocks her head back towards the door after making quick eye contact with the new father, standing in the way of an overly eager blonde to keep him outside.

Shikamaru goes inside, only dimly aware of the door being closed behind him. His steps are quiet, shy even, and silently he walks to his wife lying in bed, eyes closed. Her face is still flushed, covered by a thin sheet of sweat that he pats away with a rather wrinkled handkerchief he takes out of his pocket. She stirs, eyelashes fluttering open to reveal tired green irises that shine brighter than the sun itself ever could. Her smile is just a spent slight curve of her lips, but it is enough for him. He dips his head down and places soft, loving kisses over her face, his palm cupping the curve of her jaw, and he finally allows himself to look down at the bundles in her arms.

"Are they healthy?" He whispers as his gaze roams over the sleeping figures of his two kids, all tan skinned with tuffs of thin, dark hair on top of their heads.

She nods, her body now pressed to his side as he wraps an arm around her shoulder and brings her closer. "They came a bit earlier than expected, but everything's fine."

"Which one was born first?"

"Shikasuma was," Sakura looks to the child cradled on her left arm.

Her husband touches his fingers tentatively on the head of the second baby, "So this is Shikaku."

"Do you want to hold him?" Laughing quietly at his hesitance, she adds. "There's no secret. Just hold him gently, but firmly, and support his head."

And so he does. Looking closer now, he can see all the little veins and arteries on his son's cheeks, the pink of his nose, the wrinkles of his tiny hands, and all the baby fat on his chubby arms. Shikaku is heavy for a newborn, and he wonders for a moment how Sakura managed to carry two babies inside of her for so long. Shikamaru looks down at her, she is smiling, eyes crinkled with tears caught in her lashes, her index finger caught in the oh so small fist of their son. He presses his forehead to hers, just barely managing to keep his own tears to himself.

They are then joined by their friends, and Naruto surprisingly keeps quiet and silent, at least for the first few seconds. "So, what are their names? You wouldn't tell us for anything in this world!"

"Shikasuma and Shikaku," replies Sakura, never once opening her eyes as she nuzzles her husband's nose with her own momentarily.

Tsunade smiles softly, instantly realizing they paid homage to the two most important men in Shikamaru's life. "Beautiful names for beautiful boys."

Gaara does not comment, only stands there in his usual fashion, crossed arms and a little smile on his lips. It takes Naruto a split second longer to understand what makes the names so wonderful, and he grins brightly, his own heart soaring at the sight of the new family. "Kurenai's going to be very happy."

There is a sad little curve on Shikamaru's mouth and Sakura lifts her hand to his face, brushing her thumb over his lips as if she can wipe the frown away, and it disappears. "We hope so." He twists his head around to kiss her palm and smiles against her skin. "They're going to be so strong, like the men before them."

Naruto folds his arms and his grin softens to a gentle smile. Sakura is happy, finally happy, and she has made a family of her own, with a husband that truly loves and respects her and two kids born out of love. Shikamaru asks to hold his other son then and kisses her temple before he does so, lips lingering on her flesh for long seconds, and Naruto quietly suggests his two other companions that they wait outside to give them some privacy.


	12. xii: blind date

And another one! Feel free to send me prompts; I'm running low on ideas for these two!

 **Twins Timeline:** _sleep; pregnancy i; pregnancy ii; pregnancy iii; birth_

 **LOZ AU:** Triforce

* * *

 **xii: Blind Date  
**

* * *

Sakura glanced inside her cup, lemon slices sunk at the bottom and covered with sparkling water, and placed her chin on her open palm, sighing exasperatedly and casting her face to the fairy lights that lined the junctures of the ceiling. Not for the first time that evening, she wondered just what she had in mind when she agreed to Ino's _brilliant_ idea and let her set her up on a blind date with one of her friends. The kunoichi did not know what to expect from any of the guys her best friend was acquainted with, but now she was pretty certain she should have stayed at home.

Crossing her arms on the tabletop, she glanced around expectantly. She arrived a bit early at the nice little restaurant and was directed to a booth reserved under Ino's name. If that meant anything it was that her friend was in for a blind date, too, and Sakura was not sure if she liked that idea much.

Still, she busied herself by looking at the menu for the nth time that evening and smiled at a passing waitress. She flipped through the pages just to keep her hands busy and her mind occupied. To say Sakura was growing anxious because of the situation she found herself in was an understatement. Her palms were sweaty and wiping them on the covered section of her thighs did little to dry them up. Maybe wearing a dress that reached her mid thighs was not a good idea after all. She should have picked pants; they were more proper and the chances of the guy thinking she was allowing him to touch her a little more would be very slim.

"Sakura?"

Startled, she jumped in her seat and released the booklet, letting it snap shut as it fell on the table. Green eyes swiveled up to stare into shocked brown eyes, tan skin and dark hair that fell down past his shoulders. Sakura stared at him, speechless, lips parting and moving, but no words coming out. This had to be one of the most handsome men she had ever seen, and he was friends with _Ino_? That pig needed to invite her to go out with her other group of friends more often if that meant she would get to see more guys like him. She needed to impress him!

Finally, her vocal chords worked, but the words came out a squeak. "Who?" So much for trying to be cool.

Eyes crinkling, his lips twisted in a lopsided smile and he chuckled. "What do you mean 'who'?" Shoving his hands in his pockets, Sakura found that act oddly familiar. "It's me, Shikamaru."

She jolted back, face growing unbearably warm. Shikamaru? _The_ Shikamaru? Ino's childhood friend and teammate, Konoha's number one lazy genius? Was he really the one she found incredibly hot on the meager twenty seconds she stared at him upon arrival? Did she just admit that Shikamaru was handsome?

Wait. Was Shikamaru her blind _date_?

Now that was unexpected. "Hm, sure, of course!" She laughed and if her cheeks got any redder, she might just bolt out of there. "Sorry, I was a little distracted."

"Yeah, the menu seemed really interesting."

"It was; there are many options for drinks and whatnot..." Wringing her hands together on her lap and glancing anxiously about, she cast her gaze in his direction and inquired in the most neutral sounding voice she could muster. "So, what are you doing here?"

Shikamaru sighed, shoulders slouching and eyebrows pinching together. "Ino set me up on a date, that troublesome woman." Thankfully, he seemed to miss the way her body froze completely. "Didn't expect to find you here, though."

"I'm sure the waitress got it wrong," she squeaked out as soon as he had finished and fanned her burning face with the booklet. That pig set up her two best friends on a blind date. What the hell was she thinking? Was she out of her mind? She was so going to pay for this!

Shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly, he pulled back the chair across from hers and sat down. "Well, I'll stick around until your date arrives and then I'll go looking for this mystery girl." Nodding dazedly, she set the menu down and slid it towards him, and then curled her fingers around her seat.

Was this all because she once complimented Shikamaru's skill while in Ino's presence?

Needless to say, no other person approached their table to claim a seat and introduce themselves as Sakura's date, and if there were any boys looking her way before, now they had their eyes focused elsewhere. Shikamaru said nothing about her 'date' never showing up, nor did he look at her with pitying eyes and sad smiles – nor did he go look for the 'mystery girl', either. Rather, they stayed together, chatting amicably and ordering food, eating with stiff movements (on her part) and smiling awkward smiles (also on her part).

When the time came to leave, he offered to pay the bill, but she insisted that they split it instead, and so they did. Slipping her wallet into her purse, Sakura walked past Shikamaru with a small grin on her face and led them to the front door of the restaurant. The air outside was too crisp for a summer night, and goosebumps rose on her skin as she did a very poor job in masquerading the shiver that rolled up her spine, and just as the sensation faded away, a jacket was draped over her shoulders. She glanced back at her _date_ , only to find him looking up at the cloudy night sky with his shoulders exposed to the weather.

Knowing that trying to get him to take his jacket back would only grate on her nerves, Sakura curled her fingers around the fabric and pulled it closer to her body, unintentionally smelling the whiff of his scent. Nearly scoffing, she did not find it surprising in the least that Shikamaru smelled like grass with faint traces of smoke from his teacher's cigarette. Yet, combined with the smell of the soap, it smelled... Nice. Almost too nice, and Sakura never thought she would say anything related to cigarettes could be nice. Ever.

She did not notice it, but he walked her to her apartment. He could have left her at some point and say she could return his jacket later, but he did not. Well, she rolled her green eyes; this was Shikamaru, after all. Of course, he would walk her home, what was she expecting?

Sakura whirled around on her heels, her hands behind her back as she regarded him curiously. There was nothing different on his expression that could give away any of his thoughts, and she found that a bit enervating. She was not about to lose her cool now, though; just a few more steps and she would be inside her apartment, away from him and from his stupid jacket that was making her stomach do somersaults inside her belly. Taking in a deep breath, she decided to end this night before things could get more awkward.

"So, this is–"

"I know you're my date."

Mouth snapping shut, Sakura threw her head back and stared at him with wide eyes and a flushed face. "What?" Her voice came out strangled and her embarrassment increased tenfold, but his face remained the same and that fact was oddly comforting.

"I knew all along."

"Aside from the fact that I was in the table booked under Ino's name," she started, busying her fingers by playing with the long sleeves of the article of clothing, "how did you know?"

Shikamaru was quiet for a handful of long seconds, his eyes searching her face, a frown on his forehead and his lips pressed tightly together. Finally, he sighed once again and scratched the back of his neck as he turned to look at something _much_ interesting to his left. "I kinda asked her to set us up."

Oh. _Oh._ Lips parting and skin growing even hotter, her heart flipped and her stomach turned and that was one of the most pleasant sensations she felt in a while. He was still refusing to meet her eyes, and she was still trying to calm her insides down so she could think clearly, but her brain was overworking itself and she could hear it sizzling inside her head. Sakura gently nibbled on her nail, peeking at him through her lashes and waiting for something, only to realize that he was waiting for her reaction. A proper reaction.

"Well," she started, and his face turned minimally to the side to better look at her, "it was nice."

"Would you do it again?"

She smiled shyly. "I wouldn't mind. I mean, I don't see why it's not worth giving a shot."

His form visibly relaxed and he faced her properly again with that lopsided smile on his lips, and this time her breath hitched. She needed to return this jacket to him and as she made to take it off, he stopped her. "You can keep it."

Hands slowly falling back to her sides, she murmured. "Thank you." Sakura tucked a strand of hair behind her ears and stepped closer to him, debating on her head whether or not she should do something, before throwing all caution to the wind and rising on her tiptoes to place kiss on his cheek.

She should have known he would not stand still. The moment her lips touched his with all the delicacy of a feather, he smiled against her mouth and lightly brushed his fingertips on her jawline. "Goodnight, Sakura." The words were whispered against her skin and before she knew it, he was gone.


	13. xiii: visitor

Hey! I was going to post some soft smut today, but I didn't think it was good enough, so have more of the twins and some announcements.

I don't know if some of you saw, but I participated in Shikasaku Week; the work is named _Sunshine_ if you're interested. I also made an _askshikasaku_ blog on tumblr which I'm very slowly putting up, but I'm always updating the masterlist of fanfictions page, so check it out!

Also, regarding requests and future works. I'm having a lot of ideas lately. I have about four pieces on the way that I plan on being longer works. I'm going to mention the titles here and you can tell me if you want to see a snippet or a preview: _Heroes; No Vacancy; The Burden; The Last._ These last two are quite obvious, I think.

For those wanting to see more of the Zelda AU: I can post previews here, but it's one of the ideas that I plan on transforming on its own work.

: I'm thinking up ideas for your request!

WhiteOceanPrincess: your request is already on the works. Harder than I imagined it would be; try as I might, I can't quite make it seem too original yet

As usual, hmu if you've got a request and I'll do my best, and please enjoy!

 **Twins Timeline:** _sleep; pregnancy i; pregnancy ii; pregnancy iii; birth;_ visitor

 **LOZ AU:** Triforce

* * *

 **xiii: Visitor  
**

* * *

The streets of the Nara Clan district are lined on both sides with trees, their canopy rustling gently in the breeze and protecting him from the sun. He walks silently, listening to the birds and the sounds nature makes, studying the houses by which he passes with little interest, eyes set on finding the right one. It is the bigger one he seeks, of course. Just as his had been the biggest home in the compound, it is expected that they both live in the biggest of them. Shikamaru is, after all, the current head of the clan.

The house he is looking for is located at the very end of the street. A two-story building with a big fenced garden in the front and an even bigger backyard that leads to a path in the woods, and she is there, her back turned to him as she tends to some flower bushes, her children playing with their toys on a thin, cream colored blanket placed over the vibrant green blades of grass. He watches them for a moment, and then directs his gaze to her form, listening to her hummed melody and watching her careful motions, her hair tied up in a ponytail. He cannot help but smirk at the sight. Not only did she take his name, she adopted his hairstyle as well.

He decides to invite himself in, pushing the wooden gate open but not going much further than that. His body just will not move and respond to him, and glancing down with his eyes only, he finds out why. The two of them are connected by her stretched shadow, snaking its way towards him and keeping him rooted in place, well away from her and the kids. She got that from him, too.

Slowly, she turns, first looking at the twins to see if they are alright and unharmed, then letting her eyes fall on him, her hands together forming a seal. Her eyes widen, her hands fall apart and the jutsu is broken. They stare at each other, immobile and hesitant, careful as if they are strangers to one another and not once teammates. The air stirs uncertainly around him and he discovers he does not like it.

"Sasuke-kun," she says finally and approaches him with quick strides, searching his form with an analytical eye, looking for any injuries. "Are you alright?"

He hums his agreement and takes a step back and away from her searching gaze. "I'm fine, no need to worry."

"It's been so long!" Eight years since they last saw each other and he may have forgotten his own birthday once or twice, he muses. "How long are you staying?"

"Just a couple of days." He glances at the gardening tools, all of them bright orange and lying forgotten by the plants. They have to be a gift from Naruto; he did mention that she was trying to make gardening her new hobby now that she has lots of space for flowers and grass and not only potted plants.

Sakura wipes her hands clean on her worn out pants and graces him with a bright smile. "You should stay for dinner."

Sasuke slowly returns his focus to her, eyes sweeping around to take in the environment. "I'm afraid Naruto was faster than you, so I must decline." Her expression turns crestfallen drastically sudden and she rubs her palm up and down her arm self-consciously, gaze averted to the side. "But he did tell me to invite you, too, so that's why I'm here."

She changes moods just as fast as the now Hokage can eat his ramen, which, hopefully, will not be the main dish of tonight's dinner. "Oh, you'll love Hinata's cooking." He does not doubt it, but after having simple meals for so long, he is not sure his stomach can handle much of it. "She actually made Naruto enjoy vegetables. Have you ever seen him eating broccoli before? It used to be a rare sight."

"Sooner or later, someone would have to put him on the line."

A squeal catches their attention and he looks at the babies from over her shoulder, noticing her now rigid form and taut back, muscles locking in place in only a split second. He cannot just ignore the babies and pretend they are not there. Naruto never mentioned much of Sakura's personal life in his letters and when she did write something to him, she kept those details hidden as well, but when he entered the Hokage office and both Naruto and Shikamaru were slightly off, he knew something was up. And when the blond told him where to find her and the Nara man turned around to look out the windows, not even putting some effort into pretending he was ignoring his gaze, he knew just what the problem was.

Naruto, more than any of the villagers and close friends of theirs, had been expecting them to end up together. Sakura too, up until a point in her life, had believed they were destined to be with each other, and maybe, maybe a small part of him had hoped that was true. However, his need for redemption was bigger than any other desire he could have, outweighing even any possible deep romantic feelings he could ever harbor for the pink haired kunoichi. Sasuke was aware that, the moment he chose to leave again, she could change her mind and fall for someone else, and he would be fine with that as long as they treated her right.

He never expected her to hold on to her feelings for him forever, he never relied on the fact that he would return home and she would be waiting for him. If he came back and she was alone, then they were meant to be; if not, life goes on. He will never hold it against her. After all, she deserves someone much better than him and he never deserved someone like her, and if Shikamaru is the man she chose to marry, even if they only ever tolerated each other when boys, Sasuke is honestly content for the both of them.

So he approaches the blanket and crouches down to better look at the kids with the same hair color and skin tone as their father's, but with eyes as vivid and bright as their mother's, looking up at him curiously, and Sakura still is frozen in place and very quiet behind him, barely making any sound whilst simply breathing. It is obvious now why they never mentioned anything of her personal life; they did not know how he would react and if he would ever accept losing her, even if she was never his to begin with.

Eventually, Sasuke returns to her side and touches her shoulder briefly, drawing her eyes to his face. "I'm glad Naruto has a family and that Hinata was finally noticed by him," he starts, hesitantly and awkwardly, because he still is not good with words and feelings and bonds. "And I'm happy for you. Genuinely so."

Her eyes water, shining under the sunlight, and he finally gives them his blessings. It was silly of them to think he would react badly, but understandable due to the amount of time and effort she dedicated to him, yet in the end, none of it matters to him if she is fine with the path her life has taken. And moments later, Shikamaru arrives out of breath and red faced, and finds his wife tending to the rose bushes and their twins crawling all over their dark haired uncle, tugging at his long hair and cape. Sasuke does not seem very comfortable, but lets the twins have their fun, and Shikamaru smiles before entering his home to greet them all, finding that their fears were not big of a deal.


	14. xiv: crushes

askshikasaku is up! Feel free to send your asks, but please be patient with me. Here's some soft smut to celebrate, and later on I'll post the first chapter of what was supposed to be a reaaally long oneshot.

Enjoy!

 **Twins Timeline:** _sleep; pregnancy i; pregnancy ii; pregnancy iii; birth;_ _visitor_

 **LOZ AU:** _Triforce_

 **Take it off:** have a drink, _crushes_

* * *

 **xiv: Crushes  
**

* * *

"Do you think he has a crush on her?"

Shikamaru glanced from the pair ahead to the blue-eyed blonde, then to the female that stood between them when she snorted. "Gaara? I wouldn't know; he's hard to read."

Naruto hummed, cupping his chin with his bandaged hand as if deep in thought. "I'd approve of it."

"Oh, yeah?" Temari chuckled, shifting her weight so her hip touched Shikamaru's briefly. "What about Kankuro? I know he used to have a crush on her when she saved him years ago."

"Kankuro's weird." He blurted out, and then quickly added. "No offense." She laughed again, loudly, and her brother glanced over his shoulder at them before returning his attention to the medic across from him.

Gaara and Sakura were... Strangely close friends, given that they never seemed to interact much when politics was not involved. It was an odd sort of friendship that bloomed out of nowhere; it was not like the one the Kazekage developed with Naruto, or the one Sakura shared with Chiyo for a short period of time. It just happened, plain and simple. She always seemed to hang around the Hokage's office when the redhead was coming over, and he could not remember if it used to happen before he even noticed such things.

Her birthday had been two weeks ago and one of the three sand siblings seemed to remember such occurrence so that, now that they were visiting Konoha for diplomatic meetings and whatnot, they brought her a gift, which Gaara was handing over to her right now. She seemed surprised, and then smiled courteously, taking the package from his hands and bringing it close to her chest so she could incline her head in thanks. With his back turned to them, it was impossible to know the face he was making, though if he were to guess, Shikamaru would say he had that timid half-smile on his lips right now.

Sakura opened the box and unfolded her gift, positioning it before herself and glancing down to get a general idea of how it would look like on her. It was a kimono, and an expensive looking one at that, made of rich burgundy fabric and patterned with gold and white blossoms.

Temari craned her neck so she could whisper in his ear. "I picked it."

The med-nin did not know what to say to the Kazekage. "Do you think he's courting her?" Naruto whispered, and the woman shrugged.

Shikamaru watched as Gaara insisted that she kept the gift, and excused himself to attend to other matters.

* * *

She was standing before the full body mirror, twisting and turning as she slipped on just the outer layer of her kimono and tied the obi loosely around her waist. He had predicted such thing, and slowly he crept along the shadows until he was crouching on the windowsill of her bedroom, watching with dark eyes as she ran her hands down to smooth wrinkles and admired her own reflection.

Then she turned and gasped, taking a step back and nearly knocking the mirror off the wall. "Shikamaru!" She hissed, placing a palm over her heart and glaring at him. "You scared me."

He perked an eyebrow and stepped into her room, slipping his hands into his pockets casually and looking at her with unreadable eyes.

Sakura raised a brow of her own and adjusted the neckline of her outfit. "Well?"

"Gaara seems to be an awful lot fond of you."

She hummed and turned away from him. "What? Jealous?"

"Not at all," he replied, observing the other neatly folded layers of her kimono that were still inside the box. "It was nice of him."

"Oh, yeah, definitively." She agreed, running her fingers through her short, damp hair. "I'm pretty sure this cost a fortune, though, so I feel bad that–"

Cutting her sentence short, Shikamaru pressed her against the wall with his chest and caged her in his arms. Sakura gasped as his hands grasped her hips and pulled her body flush to his, his mouth dangerously close to her ear, and then she laughed breathlessly. "You _are_ jealous."

Shikamaru refused to look at the teasing smirk on her lips and chose instead to nip at her earlobe. "I found out that Kankuro had a crush on you and that Gaara has possible romantic feelings." She shivered as his teeth grazed her jaw line and his nose traced a path down the column of her neck. "Of course I'd be jealous."

"Don't be silly." Sakura loosened his hair from its confines and let it fall freely around his face. "You never struck me as the type to be jealous."

"Usually I'm not, but you make me feel things I'd rather not." Already, his hands were working on the white obi. It fell by her feet in a heap and she would have been mad at him some other time for treating an expensive gift with so little care. "You're in now and you can't get out. You'll have to deal with it."

Her back arched towards him as his fingers dug into the exposed skin of her hips and pulled it closer to his own as much as possible. "If you keep doing that, I'll never want to leave."

"Good." Shikamaru lifted his head from her neck to stare down at her clouded eyes. "Let's soil this gift then."

As he picked her up off the floor, Sakura grabbed onto his shoulders to stabilize herself and looked at his face from above with something akin to incredulity. "You're not serious, are you?"

Her lover lowered her to the center of her bed and crawled over her tingling body quickly. "I mean... This..." He flicked the collar away to expose her already bare breasts. "Is staying on while I ravish you." Her frame trembled beneath his touch as his hands ghosted over the sides of her ribs. "Gaara was so nice to give you a gift we can both appreciate."

Sakura wrapped her legs around his body as her hands shot forward to grab the hem of his shirt. "Too many clothes on, Nara."

With a smirk, he removed the green flak jacket and tossed it aside, allowing her to remove the shirt underneath as her fingers greedily traced the lines on his stomach and chest. This woman had a way of making everything she wore sexy. Everything, and yes, that included the standard jounin outfit. He would know; he had had his way with her wearing those.

He had to admit that Temari had a good taste in clothes, though. The colors and pattern of the kimono complimented Sakura's features rather nicely. The silk was smooth and made goosebumps rise on his skin whenever she moved her arms and the long sleeves brushed against him. Although, it could not quite compare to that black dress that got him so bothered months ago, it was his second favorite outfit of hers without a shadow of a doubt.

Sakura had more muscle than most of the women he spoke on a daily basis, yet her skin was still so soft. His palms moved against her sides as he lowered himself to capture her lips, slow and sensual as muffled little noises of pleasure came from her. Her fingers squeezed his arms and shoulders, strong in a way that made him want more of her. When her legs tightened their hold around his hips, he would know that he was doomed.

Despite the way they had initially teased each other tonight and the unbearable need to release that hung over their heads, there was something about these encounters that made it more intimate and not because of the one obvious reason. The way she said his name during the act always made his heartrate increase just as his movements did. He knew that whispers against her skin got her fired up for more.

Shikamaru sunk into her as she cradled his head against her chest and breathed out a moan. They had yet to talk about their relationship, but at this point, both of them knew that their feelings ran deep and that they might as well just acknowledge aloud that they were an item. He weaved their fingers together and pressed the back of her hand into the long sleeve of the kimono. They would not have gotten this far if there had not been mutual pinning in the first place.

* * *

Weeks later, a festival was held in Konoha as per usual of that time of the year. The rich smell of food attracted people to the right stalls while little kids decided to play games with their families and Sand Siblings were back in town, dressed accordingly and wandering about the in the company of Naruto as he rambled happily. "I saw Sakura-chan earlier! She was beautiful!" Only Gaara was intently listening to what he was saying, eyes hardly straying from the blonde, but Temari did perk up at the mention of the pink haired medic. Perhaps she was wearing the kimono they got her as a birthday gift.

The group had been walking for a while now trying to find their friends. They came across Shino, who carried a grinning Mirai in his arms as she held a plastic filled with water tightly in her little fist, a goldfish swimming inside in circles. Akamaru ran past them once and they saw Ino's mother selling flowers for couples in love. They were sure they saw Rock Lee running ahead still wearing that flasy jumpsuit even in a time like this.

The blonde gesticulated wildly, nearly smacking people in the face, and his stream of words seemed to reach no end, but it did come to a halt. Temari and Kankuro, who had been looking around at the many things in display for costumers, turned to the darkened spot beneath the trees that surrounded the area the festival was being held, trying to figure out what finally made Naruto quiet down for once.

There, Shikamaru had his hand cupping her jaw as his lips moved against hers lazily, Sakura keeping with his pace with ease, mouth moving slowly, gently, a contrast to the way she firmly gripped the front of his yukata tightly.


	15. xv: birthday girl

Heeello, everyone! It's been a little while since I last updated this story. I'm aware that I have some requests to post and finish, but I'll get there. In the meantime, I want you to vote on the next multichapter fanfic I'll write. Send me _hokage_ or _zelda_ for the one you want!

I posted a little drawing to celebrate Sakura's birthday on askshikasaku! And here we have a oneshot to celebrate!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **xv: Birthday Girl**

* * *

Outside the barbecue house, the wind is cool and crisp. Shikamaru stalls on the street for a little longer, savoring the fresh air before he heads inside the furnace that is the building before him. Besides, a little bit of pure air is welcomed to clear his mind and organize his jumbled thoughts. In his hands, the wrapped gift seems to weigh twenty pounds, but he knows it is just his nerves talking.

It is Sakura's birthday and Naruto organized a small get together of their little group to celebrate. Kakashi and Yamato are supposed to drop by for a quick visit at some point, none of them looking forward to spending the night with a bunch of young adults, but they are still considerate enough to show their faces and greet the only girl of Team 7. He thinks Sasuke will not be coming, because otherwise, Naruto would have been much louder about it in the past few days.

Shikamaru breathes in one last time and squares his shoulders before pushing the door open. He is confident that she will like the gift he got. After weeks of brainstorming, he decided to ask Ino for help. He loves Ino, but hates how easily she can read him. She figured his feelings out before Shikamaru himself could have sorted them out, and she teases him on a daily basis because of it. Regardless of that, she gave him a useful tip last week. Sakura prefers receiving practical gifts than getting pretty things that will sit on a shelf collecting dust. Even though she knows that and is her best friend, Ino still presents her with tight dresses and high heels in every opportunity, which Sakura stores in the back of her closes undoubtedly.

As much as her advice was appreciated, it still left him lost. What could he get Sakura that she does not already have? Sakura never seemed like the kind to own useless stuff, and everything he imagined that she would appreciate, he had a feeling she already owned them. In one of the afternoons spent in the flower shop, Ino revealed that Sakura had gotten the newest edition of a medical book and was living her life with her face shoved in it. He thought of getting her workout clothes, but he did know her size and did not want her to misunderstand his gift.

Yesterday, he had the perfect idea. The Nara hardly shares the results of their researches with anyone the Hokage does not approve, but he is sure a copy of it will be safe with her. Besides, such a precious gift can convey exactly what he wants to tell her but cannot. The leather-bound book in his hands is just a part of a massive tome lying somewhere back in the Nara Estate. He can give her the rest in other occasions.

Warm air caresses his face, accompanied by the strong smell of smoke and the sound of sizzling meat. It is still early in the evening, which means the restaurant is not as packed as it can be. It also helps that it is the middle of the week. Still, mindless chatter reaches his ears as his eyes swipe around looking for his friends. It does not take long, as it is hard to miss two heads of blonde hair, one of pink, and a massive dog sitting in the space between their booth and a table. He carefully walks over, sidestepping waiters and costumers alike, rehearsing his words.

 _Hey, Sakura. Happy birthday. I got you something I hope you'll both like and find useful. Uh... What am I supposed to say next?_

He stops beside the booth, smiling slightly at his friends and finding a little comfort in the wrapping paper beneath his fingers. Kiba is having a mostly one-sided conversation with Choji, but his best friend nods in agreement between eating pieces of meat. Naruto and Rock Lee are being loud. Tenten and Hinata are talking behind their hands. Sai is showing Shino one of his latest pieces. Ino smiles at him from around the straw of her drink, smug.

Shikamaru turns to Sakura as she rises from her seat to greet him and his brain shuts down.

Whenever the group meets up, Ino goes to Sakura's apartment to dress her up. He should have known today would be no different, though he wonders how Ino got Sakura into this short, form fitting, dark blue dress. Shikamaru refrains from looking down to check if she is wearing heels (oh god, her shapely legs are in plain sight) and smiles as best as he can at her. Her red tinted lips pull into a grin, her arms wrap around him in a hug, the sweet smell of her perfume assaults his nose and her wavy hair brushes the exposed skin of his collarbones. When she pulls back, he sees her green, green eyes lined in black. It is all too much.

"Shika!" She exclaims, eyes shining. "I'm so glad you're joining us!"

He smiles, heart pounding in his chest, lungs working to get air inside his body. He offers the wrapped book to her and she reaches out for it, fingertips brushing his. "Hey, Sakura. I love you."

The booth freezes. Around them, life keeps on going. By the time his brain catches up with the words that left his mouth, it is too late to do anything to cover them up. His eyes widen minimally but hers are as large as saucers, her blush showing through her makeup. Ino has chocked on her drink, Choji dropped his chopsticks, and Naruto is gaping like a fish. Both Tenten and Hinata move to aid the choking blonde and Rock Lee has fallen into one of his usual dramatic antics, wailing about a new rival in love, attracting more stares in their direction. They stand looking at each other, holding the book together, unmoving.

Someone clears their throat behind him. "You do, don't you?"

Shikamaru jolts as if shocked, releasing the gift and whirling to come face to face with Kakashi and Yamato. Perfect. As if it had not been embarrassing enough, her former teachers had to be nearby to hear. He half expects Tsunade and Shizune to waltz from behind a curtain, but quickly squashes the thought before it can attract the both of them here somehow.

The men stand from their seats to let him sit the furthest away from Sakura as possible. He pointedly ignores the looks Naruto are giving him and the curious, inquisitives stares coming from Sai, and sits sandwiched between his best friend and the window. Sakura has recovered enough to greet the older men, although her smiles are a little tremulous and she obviously appears anxious. To top it off, he ruined her night. Great! She will never look him in the eye again.

It is easy to mind his own business surrounded by loud people, but today it is exceptionally hard. Shikamaru nurses his drink throughout the night, eats very little, and hardly engages in conversations despite Choji's efforts. Ino at some point threatens to hit Naruto with something, but he does not try to figure out what sparked that reaction, though he has a hunch. He dreads the moment when they have to leave; he promised Ino he would walk both her and Sakura to their respective homes. He just wants to go home, shove his face in a pillow and allow himself the indulgence of embracing his self-pity. Time cannot pass by fast enough.

One by one, people leave, placing in a bowl in the center of the booth their share of the bill, until it is finally just the three of them. Choji lingers around enough and offers to tag along so he will not feel as misplaced, but Shikamaru politely declines his offer. He got himself into this, now he has to deal with it.

The night air is cooler than before, and he carries all of her gifts as his way of silently apologizing for what he had said. Ino and Sakura walk ahead of him, chatting and laughing in quiet tones, and he finds it easy to keep his gaze turned away from the same pair of legs he found himself admiring from a distance a handful of times. Her curls bounce around her shoulders and she links her arm with Ino's, thanking her for the night.

Ino lives closest to the restaurant. She hugs Sakura one last time and turns to him with a slight twist on her lips. Shikamaru keeps his face carefully schooled and leans down so she can wrap an arm around his shoulders in a side hug. A sigh comes from her, but she says nothing else aside from a goodbye before disappearing into her home. Alone with Sakura, the words he said earlier weigh much heavier than the shocked silence that fell over their group. Sakura gives him a smile and falls into step beside him. Neither try to say anything in the seemingly endless track towards her apartment building.

Other ninjas and civilians share the streets with them, each going about their business alone or in groups. They pass by a cat sitting on a windowsill and do not stop as they come across display windows. Two children run past them hand in hand, followed by a dog, its tongue lolling out of its mouth. A disheveled woman comes next, probably their mother or caretaker. She smiles at the sight, but does not giggle or cast him a glance to see if he finds it amusing too.

A block away from her building, Sakura opens her purse and retrieves her keys. Shikamaru follows her up the stairs to her door after a quick exchange of words in which he refuses to let her carry all of her gifts by herself. She inserts her key in the lock and opens the door, reaching out to flick the lights on. Her living room is sparsely furnished and unkempt, scrolls lying around the coffee table and the couch.

When he comes to himself, she is facing him again, looking up at him from beneath thick lashes. He tries not to swallow. "Thank you for the help."

"Don't mention it." She picks up some of her gifts: a new pair of gloves from Yamato, a succulent plant from Kakashi (another one, it seems, her living room is full of them), a new notepad from Sai. "It's the least I could do after..."

Shikamaru remains at her doorstep, refusing to invite himself in after what he did. Sakura sets it all in the first vacant space she can find. "It's okay, I was just surprised."

"As was I." He huffs. "I'm sorry."

Sakura walks back in his direction, hands cupping her elbows, heels clicking on the floor. Now the top of her head reaches up to his nose; without it, he can easily tuck her head under his chin. She has always been so petite. "There's nothing to apologize for."

There is, but he knows better than to get in a discussion. If life has taught him anything, it is that one does not get in an argument with Ino because they will lose – and both women have been friends for so long he is sure the same applies to Sakura. So he dips his head and takes a step back to prepare for his departure.

She steps forward to compensate. "Shikamaru." He looks down at her, standing so close to the doorjamb it brushes her shoulder. "I didn't... I didn't mean to give you the... Wrong impression."

He studies her face, the lip caught between her teeth, the green eyes averted to the side. After a sharp intake of breath, Shikamaru closes the distance between them slowly. Her eyes move up to meet his own and her lips part, smudged with leftover lipstick and slightly bruised from her insistent nibbling. Leaning down to her level, he waits for her to do anything, to push him away or step back. Sakura tenses more and more the closer he gets, but stands her ground, eyes flicking from his own to his lips in a cycle that makes blood rush to his ears.

Her breath fanning the lower half of his face is distracting. "Is this okay?"

She nods after a pause, eyelids fluttering.

Shikamaru takes one last look at her and rests his lips over hers. She sighs in the same instant, shoulder drooping and fingers hesitantly grabbing the front of his shirt. He cups the side of her face with a hand, strokes his thumb across her cheek before pulling away. "How long have you wanted this?"

Sakura licks her lips, eyes still closed. "A while."

He hums in contemplation and dives in for another kiss. "Happy birthday. I got you something I hope you'll both like and find useful. That's what I wanted to say."

She smiles into him, fingers creeping up towards the back of his neck, confident. "I like what you said before." Her lids part. From this close, her eyes are impossibly green, like a field he could lie down for hours and hours to watch the clouds. "But what are you referring to? The book? Or you?"

"It depends," Shikamaru muses, walking her backwards into her living room after kicking the door closed. "What do you say?"

"I think I can find some use to you."

She squeaks when he presses her against the wall, a smirk on his lips. "I bet you can."


End file.
